Lost Strewberry
by Draco the Spirit Dragon
Summary: Ichigo is dead. But that’s the least of his problems when his alone, confused and the owner of very few memories...
1. Chapter 1

Lost Strawberry: Part 1

A man in a simple white robe lay on the floor, he felt lost and very much confused. He had thoughts, he knew things. But knowing the sky of the day should be blue with no memories of ever seeing a sky in the day was odd. Some of the other things he knew were this. His name was Ichigo, he knew he was sixteen and he knew somehow that he was dead.

Ichigo looked around at his surroundings. They were hardly nice. It was a dark dusty street. Everything looked broken and used. There was also a rather hostile looking group of men were making funny looks at him.

"Hey looks like someone new dropped in." Said the oldest looking one, who was also carrying a large piece of wood like it was a sword.

"Wonder if he got anything valuable on him?" Said a younger one while looking at Ichigo.

"Well, the strong take from the weak. " The older man said with a shrug as he walked towards Ichigo.

"They do, do they?" Ichigo said as he pulled himself up. "I don't know much, but even I think that sounds kind of dumb."

The older man frowned, then with no warning smashed the piece of wood into Ichigo's side, he heard something go crack and it certainly wasn't the piece of wood.

"Let me tell you something to fill that empty head of yours before I break it" The older man said as Ichigo fell onto one knee. "The world is a terrible place, if you're weak you will be crushed, if you're strong you should crush the weak, because if you don't you just become weak."

Ichigo laughed, it hurt his side a little as he did so.

"You must be so weak to believe that rubbish!" he said as pulled himself up." If you're truly strong, you should be able to protect those weaker than yourself!"

With that Ichigo kicked the man in between the legs.

"If you are truly strong, no silly handicap should stop you!" Ichigo yelled as he punched the man in the chest causing him to crash to the floor. Somehow Ichigo caught the piece of wood before it hit the floor.

"And if you're strong, you should be able show mercy without fear." Ichigo spoke darkly as he held the wood like a sword, a feeling that felt familiar and natural as breathing. "Now get out my sight before I change my mind!"

The other men had ran away it seemed as Ichigo's attention had been on there leader. Who was now crawling away, then with some difficulty got up and run away.

"Monster!" he screamed after he was a safe distance away. Ichigo didn't care one bit about that title. He knew what made a real monster.

Ichigo walked through the night. The area seemed mostly deserted and of the few who did walk through the night, none seemed eager to come near him. His side was still hurting, but the pain seemed to be going away as time went by. Ichigo wasn't sure why this was true, just as he wasn't sure how he caught the piece of wood in hand either, but it seemed whatever else Ichigo was, he was a warrior.

"There you are Icchi!" shouted a young, high pitch and female voice. Ichigo looked up to see its owner. A rather young girl with bright pink hair. She was wearing a black robe and surprisingly also had what looked like a scabbard with sword in it on her back. Adding to this strange image was the fact she was very clearly on a roof.

"Should I know you?" Ichigo asked in a hopeful tone. The pink haired girl grinned.

"Nope!" She said cheerfully. "Because you died and pretty much all your memories went bye bye!"

"But did you know me before that?" He shouted up to her. She looked down at him with a mischievous grin.

"Jump up here and I tell you!" She shouted downwards. Ichigo furrowed his eyebrows.

"That's insane!" He yelled out her. "There no way I can jump up there!"

She smirked.

"You're good at no ways Icchi!" she said with the grin still on her face. "Your not going to let a silly thing like a little jump stop you are you?"

Ichigo muttered.

"Ok I give it a try!" He shouted up to her. Ichigo the looked at the floor, then at the roof. Then he jumped and somehow jumped high enough to land on the roof next to her. She smiled brightly at him.

"Your soul remembered even if your head didn't!" she said as she patted the piece of roof beside her. Ichigo took her cue and sat beside the young girl. Dropping the piece of wood from earlier to his side as he did so.

"So who are you and what do you know about me?" he asked in a gentle tone. She was a kid after all.

"My name is Kusajishi Yachiru." She said rather loudly, despite how close they were and in considerable contrast to his gentle tone. "And I'm a Shinigami. My job is to make sure the spirits of dead pass on safely to here and to fight any Hallow's that show up wherever. Hallows are spirit that have turn bad and turned into monsters by the way."

Ichigo looked down at Yachiru. She was so small… yet she fought monsters. Then again he just jumped on top of a roof, so Ichigo had the feeling that it was his idea of reality that was probably out of sync with the reality he was in.

"You know me, because you and Ken-chan are good friends." She said happily "And Ken-chan and I are the best friends in the whole world, so he would want me to look after you if he was here."

Ichigo nodded softly as she spoke. This Ken-chan guy sounded like someone he should try to find. Ichigo had the feeling he really needed to find his friends right now.

"Course I got a question for you now Icchi." She said after her explanation. "Who do you think you are?"

The question was a sudden one. Ichigo took his time, but in a way the answer was obvious.

"I'm a warrior "He said firmly. " A warrior who knows the meaning of mercy."

"That it?" Yachiru asked probingly.

"Pretty much." Ichigo said with a shrug. "What were you expecting me to say? I hardly got any memories."

Yachiru stared at him a while.

"She was expecting you to say something more. " She said simply as she closed her eyes. "Through I expect she be talking to you now."

Ichigo looked at Yachiru.

"Who is she?" He asked. Yachiru let out a small giggle.

"She is me… Ichigo." Ichigo twisted around to look at the person who voice he had just heard. The first thing that struck him about her was how short she was. She was clearly no child, but she was easily a head shorter than Ichigo. Her hair was short, but judging from how well combed and taken care of it was, it was short for practical reasons, not out of laziness. Her eyes were indigo and clear. Her stance was strong, yet graceful and she wore a similar outfit to Yachiru, but her sword was at her side and not on her back. Ichigo felt his eyes linger on it. He didn't know the reasoning, but he knew that blade was an important one to him in the grand scale of things.

"Thanks for helping me Yachiru." The woman said to the girl before turning her full attention on Ichigo. "I now ask you to leave us alone."

The pink headed Shinigami nodded before jumping away and out of sight.

"She seems a pretty nice person." Ichigo said to the woman as she silently watched him.

"With Yachiru, everything is about Kenpachi's happiness." She said seriously. "Kenpachi really like fighting and your one of the few people that can give him something close to a fair fight, so it's in Yachiru interest to help you get strong and keep you safe."

"So I'm just a vested interest in the form of a decent sparing partner then?" Ichigo asked bluntly, feeling a bit betrayed by Yachiru.

"Don't feel betrayed Ichigo." The woman spoke softly as she moved closer. "She is still a rather young child in many regards' and she does pretty much owe her whole life to Kenpachi. Is it really that shocking he is still her whole world Ichigo?"

"Guess your right Shinigami." Ichigo said has he looked at her closely. She seem to be holding a very neutral expression.

"Do you know who I am Ichigo?" she said while staring at him deeply in the eyes. Ichigo stared intently into those indigo orbs, but nothing came, nothing but a feeling that sword was important somehow….

"I won't lie to you Shinigami and say I know who you are." Ichigo started, the woman's face leapt back slightly at the comment. "But I know that sword on your waist is more than blade and something far more important than Yachiru's blade too. Just don't ask me why."

For the first time he saw a soft smile on her face.

"I guess Sode no Shirayuki left her impression on you." She said as she stepped rather close indeed to Ichigo and lifted up her sword. "Do you wish to know why?"

Ichigo stared down at the woman and her sword.

"I do." He said softly. She nodded at him.

"Then I shall tell." She spoke in equally soft tones. "When I first met you, you were a human. A human with vast spiritual energy yes. But with no control and no real power to fight."

She pull the sword softly out it scabbard.

"A Hallow attacked you and your family." She said as she softly pushed his clothes slightly open with her sword. "You wanted to fight, but could do nothing. I tried to fight but I was injured. So I did probably the most rash, stupid, illegal and best thing I ever did in my life."

Ichigo felt his heart beat fast.

"I gave a human the power of a Shinigami. " She said as she softly touched his chest with the tip of her blade at the exact point where his rapid beating heart was. "You have done great things since Ichigo. Saving your family from that Hallow was just the start. It's my pride, not my envy that you surpassed me in skill Ichigo."

With that statement she put her sword, no Sode no Shirayuki was her name, back into her scabbard.

She stepped slightly back away again, but she was still relative close. Ichigo was quiet quickly putting things together. The way she was holding herself. The fact she was here. The way she had touched him with Sode no Shirayuki…

He raised his right hand, and creased her left check softly. She didn't jump back or recoil. Instead she closed her eyes and leaned closer.

"Thought so." Ichigo said in the most gentle of tones. "I'm sorry for any tears I've caused you lover of mine."

A wide smile appeared on her face.

"I was scared our love died as your mortal body did Ichigo" She said she pushed herself forward and placed her head on his chest.

"Silly Shinigami, my soul remembered even if my head didn't" He said as he pulled her close and began stroking her hair.

"Call me Rukia…" She whispered softly. Her arms wrapping around him tight now.

"Thanks for finding me Rukia, but forgive me if I'm still a bit lost for now" He said to Rukia, feeling the warmth of her body against his.

"It ok I will guide you Ichigo" She replied. "I'm good at guiding you…."

Ichigo's world made a bit more sense and he was glad.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: This second part took a bit longer than expected, hope you all enjoy the Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 !-- /* Style Definitions */ , , {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt; mso-header-margin:36.0pt; mso-footer-margin:36.0pt; mso-paper-source:0;} 1 {page:Section1;} -- concluding part of Lost Strawberry!

Lost Strawberry Part 2

"You two finished being all lovely dovey?" Came the voice of Yachiru from behind Ichigo. He jumped in fright slightly. Rukia broke the hug.

"How long have you been watching!" She yelled as the two of them turned to face the child Shinigami.

"All of it!" She said with a big wide grin on her face. "I want to know how romances work for when I get bigger."

Rukia muttered.

"Don't do that again Yachiru." She said in a firm tone. "You should respect people's privacy, because one day you will really want some… trust me on this."

Yachiru pulled a face then replied. "You're worse than Baldy and Featherbrows!"

Ichigo was about to say something, but she went on.

"Nobody wants me around, they want privacy!" She spoke with some real anger in her voice. "When Ken-chan goes to sleep it gets boring, really boring! Baldy and Featherbrows lock themselves upstairs. The rest of the squad seems scared silly of me and everyone else seems busy with work when I visit!"

Ichigo bent down to her.

"Not many other Shinigami like you is there Yachiru?" He said softly. She nodded her head in reply.

"Everyone bigger than me…" She said sadly as she stared at the floor.

"You need to broaden your horizons Yachiru." Ichigo said seriously to her. "Try to find something the other people like and you like too, because I bet people be a let less busy if you tried there idea of fun hum?"

"You think so?" She asked innocently as she stared him in the eyes.

"Worth a try isn't it?" he said with a slight grin. She grin wider back.

"Thanks Icchi!" She said happily and then jumped on his shoulder!

"Ok not quiet as comfortable as Ken-chan." She said as she sat near his neck. Ichigo was thankful she was light. "But I think I stay here for a bit till Ken-chan gets out of the forth division ward."

Ichigo chuckled and looked to Rukia, who seemed to have a gentle smile on her face now.

"So what now Rukia?" he asked his small lover.

"Well Nii-sama not at home..." She said with a thoughtful look. "And likely to be away for at least a few days since he is in charge of doing the cleanup in the living world of Aizen's forces…. So that means I don't need to worry about him interfering with me helping you get back on your feet..."

"So to Roo's home and its candy store!" Yachiru shouted happily on Ichigo's shoulder.

It was a long walk to Rukia's home but Rukia seemed fairly talkative.

"Right Ichigo." She spoke in a very business like voice. "There's a few thing you need to know…"

'A few things' was a serous understatement. She pretty much explained every single thing that could possibly be in her head about Shinigami and Hollow's. Yachiru made a few comments when Rukia mentioned Kido…

"It's for sissy people!" She remarked loudly.

"I like Kido a lot!" Rukia said with annoyed air.

"And you're a sissy!" She replied with a jovial tone. Rukia looked up, smirked and then said.

"The sissy who defeated Espada number nine Āronīro Arurueri if you remember Kusajishi Yachiru."

"But Ken-chan defeated number five with no silly Kido at all!" She shouted back.

"And!?" Rukia shouted back.

"You're a Kido using sissy! " She shouted right back.

"You're not even making sense!" Rukia shouted in return. Then Yachiru started giggling.

"So fun!" She said simply. "I can see why you like doing that with Icchi so much now!"

Rukia blinked.

"You were acting on Ichigo's advice and started the argument for arguments sake?" Rukia asked curiously and with a slightly annoyed look on her face.

"And he was right too" Yachiru said happily "it is fun!"

Rukia giggled.

"Oh come on were nearly there." She said with a smile on her face.

Rukia's home was big, seriously big.

"Big house." He said simply. Yachiru jumped off his shoulder.

"Well this is House Kuchiki." She explained in her high pitched voice. "There super high up nobility!"

Ichigo blinked.

"Say that again please" Ichigo asked in disbelief.

"Rukia part of one of the most powerful noble families in the whole Soul Society!" she shouted while jumping in the air. Ichigo turned to Rukia, who was now blushing ever so slightly.

"You decided to tell me what sounded suspiciously like the fine details of being a Shinigami before telling me that you're technically a lady?" Ichigo asked in disbelief. Rukia looked from side to side before speaking rather nervously

"This also may good time to tell you that I achieved Banki with your help previously, sponsored your younger sister to become a Shinigami and you're a Vizard."

Ichigo stared at her a few moments.

"Ok maybe we should just focus on the here and now for the time being." Ichigo said as he tried to take in everything Rukia had just told him.

She nodded with a grin.

"Just stay close to me till everything makes sense Ichigo." She said softly. "And I swear that I protect you with my life if I have too."

Ichigo knew she meant every word.

As they walked into the estate they were met by first two guards who simply stood aside and bowed as Rukia approached. After that they were met by a pair of servant girls. They both looked rather sleepy.

"Rukia-dono." They said in unison as they bowed to Rukia.

"I really appreciate this Etsu-san and Kameko-san" She said gently "you two must be really sleepy by now."

One of them waved dismissively.

"It's alright Rukia-dono." The other one spoke sleepily. "We know what Kurosaki-san is important to you. It not like you normally asks us to be on standby till five in the morning."

"It's five in the morning!" Yachiru shouted loudly. "I need to get back to Ken-chan soon, he wonder where I am if I'm not around when he wakes up!"

"We send you some candy to you tomorrow!" Rukia shouted at the rapidly disappearing pink haired Shinigami.

"Well." She said as she turned to Ichigo with a smile. "Seems for tonight at least you're my guest Ichigo."

He beamed back at her; she blinked with a look of surprise.

"I never have seen that kind of smile on your face before." She said as her surprised look turned to a happy grin. "But I like it."

"Rukia-dono... were will Kurosaki-san be sleeping?" said the taller of the servant girls.

"In my room Etsu-san!" She said with a large grin. Etsu raised her finger.

"And if Byakuya-sama comes in?" She asked in a serous tone.

Rukia looked thoughtful.

"Make sure the beds are a... "She said mischievously while looking side to side. "A polite away enough distance away."

The other two girls giggled.

"Which is also just within split second flash step range?" Kameko said just as mischievously. Much giggling following.

Ichigo coughed. Rukia turned to him with a grin.

"Don't worry Ichigo, I won't take advantage of you." She said with a wink. Ichigo gulped as she did so.

"Aren't we taking things a little bit too fast!?" he yelled out. Rukia sniggered.

"You still so easy to whine up." She said it the same mischievous tone as before. "But seriously you're sleeping in my room; no way am I letting you out of sight till you somewhat back to normal."

She said the last part with utter seriousness. Ichigo had a feeling Rukia had no intention of taking off the soft fluffy mitten gloves with him yet.

"Etsu-san and Kameko-san, ready my room please." Rukia ordered the two servant girls. The nodded and rapidly made there way.

A few minutes latter Ichigo was in Rukia's room and took a look around. It was surprisingly big and at odds with itself. It was fully of bunny soft toys, pictures and pretty much everything seemed to be bunny themed. The thing is when you looked a bit closer at some of things the bunnies where on…

"Kido with Chappy part one?" Ichigo asked as he looked at one of the books.

"Oh that such a good book, you should read it sometime Ichigo!" Rukia said enthusiastically.

"But it's pink and full of pictures of bunnies!" Ichigo yelled back at her in reply.

"And who's going to tell if you read it in my room?" She said with a smirk on her face.

Ichigo sighed at her.

"No wonder Yachiru thinks Kido for sissy's if this is what the books for them look like." He said as he firmly put it away.

"Oh they don't all look like that." Rukia explained calmly before breaking into an excited tone. "But Chappy is such a good teacher!"

Ichigo just stared at her a few moments.

"Mad bunny obsessed midget." He said playfully. Rukia grinned back at him and then yawned.

"Correction, sleepy mad bunny obsessed midget." She said as she yawned again. "It might be an idea for us two to actually get to sleep before sunrise."

Ichigo grinned evilly at her and as he strode towards her. She blinked.

"Ichigo…" She said seconds before he swept her off her feet. Ichigo then took Rukia and fell, with her in his arms, into her bed, letting her lay on his chest as he wrapped both his arms around her.

"So" He said firmly as Rukia adjusted to the sudden movement. "Time I asked a rather big question."

"Ichigo..." Rukia spoke gently.

"When did you realise that you loved me?" he asked her frankly. She stared at the roof for some time before replying.

"That actually a pretty hard one you know." She said softly, Ichigo wrapped his arms around her tighter. "I heard a lot of people talk about falling in love, but that talk like there some moment, some time and date they can say it happened. I can't honestly do that."

"Really?" Ichigo asked in surprise.

"Really" She replied. "It's odd really. When we first met I had too keep with you out of necessity. But I found that as time went by that I wasn't keeping with you out off necessity, I was keeping with you because I was enjoying ever moment and the using necessity as an excuse…. course then I got arrested when responsibility caught up with me and was due to be executed".

"Executed!" Ichigo spoke in shocked reply.

"I explain the whole story another time." She said as she softly as she turned to lay on her front, placed her head on his chest and look up at him in the eyes. "But the important thing is that you didn't give up on me even when I give up on me. Instead you came to save me, you DID save me. You fought so hard for me…."

There were tears coming down from her eyes now and her voice was growing hoarse.

"You made me feel valued Ichigo, when I felt so much of burden in the past to others around me! You made me feel optimistic about the future in a way I never thought was possible before I met you!"

In the silence that followed Ichigo gently brushed her hair.

"And we still weren't an item after that" she said with a silly grin on her face. Her voice mostly losing the hoarseness as she did so. "I though of you as important, terribly important, but I wouldn't have thought of myself doing this…"

With those words she gently ran her finger up his ear, a ticklish but pleasant sensation. Ichigo smiled at her.

"So when did that change?" he asked her curiously while returning the gesture with her ear. She smiled back happily with shut eyes.

"It was odd really." Her tone soft and happy. "It was just after we returned from Hueco Mundo. We finally won a bit of peace for a while as Aizen who had caused so much trouble was on the run. We were both standing outside Urahara's shop and all our friends were was hugging and shaking hands."

"Then you lifted me up in a big hug and I kissed you." The happy smile on her closed eyed face was serene as she talked. "It was so sudden and I don't think either of us were planning to do it. We didn't really realised what we were doing till after the kiss. Course it was really embarrassing directly afterwards of course but it was certainly a good thing for us in the long run."

"Because I bet that wasn't the last kiss was it?" Ichigo said as he played with Rukia's hair.

"Course not!" Rukia said with a defiant tone. "You may have refused to admit you enjoyed the kiss, but I was under no disillusions, especially since you seemed to have no problems kissing me back!" She finished with a snigger.

"So you repeatedly kissed me despite me complaining?" Ichigo spoke mock sternly. "That was very naughty of you Rukia."

"You eventually had the guts to admit you loved me back of course." Rukia said as she opened her eyes again with wide grin on her face. "I think it was after kiss number twenty six or possibly twenty seven, I kind of lost count as we kissed each other senseless on your bed"

Ichigo grinned just as wide back at her.

"Well seem only right I reward you for answering my big question now…" Ichigo said mischievously as he pulled Rukia up and into a kiss and it wasn't just a brief touch of lips either. As he gently held her after he started to felt the tug of sleep finally making its self heard over his busy thoughts.

"Time I crawled in my own bed Rukia." He said softly as he pulled himself out her bed. "Don't want to hear those two's giggles if they find us asleep in the same bed Rukia."

Rukia muttered something back in reply that sounded like 'strawberry', but it was pretty clear that she was feeling sleep tug far more strongly than Ichigo.

Ichigo fell asleep rapidly as his head hit the pillow of his bed, he didn't bother undressing. He felt like mere moments latter but it must have been hours as he was rudely awoken…

"Icchi!" Screamed Yachiru right in Ichigo's face, awaking him from his slumber suddenly. As he rapidly woke he realised she was standing on his chest. She didn't stay there for long.

"Time to go train!" She said as she began forcefully pull him out of his bed.

"Wait a minute Yachiru" Ichigo yelled in protest and much to his surprise she actually stopped.

"Yes Icchi?" She said with a now rather familiar grin.

"Why have you dragged me out of bed for training?" He asked as he tidied himself up somewhat.

"Because Ken-chan wants you back to fighting fit sooner, rather than latter Icchi!" She said excitedly. Suddenly it all made sense.

"And how you going to help me train Yachiru?" He said softly, remembering there was a sleeping Rukia in the room. She grinned her grin at him.

"I thought about that too." She said thoughtfully. "Since I'm a lot smaller than you, we can't really duel properly. So I went and found a friend to help!"

With that a tall black hair and rather refined looking man walked into the bedroom who was wearing a small silvery object on his hair and a white scarf. He briefly looked down at the sleeping Rukia before turning his attention to Ichigo. Judging from the haori he was wearing, he must have been a captain.

"I see my younger sister been taking good care of you. " He spoke in a dismissive tone as he motioned to Rukia. Ichigo nodded before replying.

"She loyal, determined and loves me to bits, course she been taking good care of me." Ichigo said with a slight smile. The man didn't return the smile, his features were ice cold.

"I see you are the same Kurosaki Ichigo as before if of a brighter mood." He spoke coldly. "It also seems death has not removed your stranglehold on my sister's heart either."

"She's in love with him Bya-kun you silly." Yachiru spoke while grinning. "She do anything for him I think!"

'Bya-kun' looked down at her with an annoyed look.

"That's what worries me Yachiru-chan" He spoke in the same cold calm tone as he offered his hand. "But let me reintroduce myself Kurosaki Ichigo, I am Captain Kuchiki Byakuya of the Sixth Division."

"Nice to remeet you Byakuya." Ichigo said as he shook it. Byakuya cringed.

"I see some things don't change." He said in an annoyed voice. "You will referee to me as Byakuya-sama from now on if you wish to continue enjoying the hospitality of my house and access to my sister. You will also conduct your relationship with her in a way that's respectable, especially in public. Am I clear Kurosaki Ichigo?"

Ichigo gulped, he understood perfectly why Rukia was glad that her brother had been out when they had reached the estate earlier.

"Yes Byakuya-sama" Ichigo spoke respectfully, like he had a choice.

"Good. " He said as he turned around to face the door. "It's time for you to become a useful asset to House Kuchiki by regaining your Shinigami powers. Because let be honest here, your not much use off the battlefield."

He started walking out the room, Ichigo followed and Yachiru jumped on Ichigo's shoulder.

"I see you picked up a new habit Yachiru-chan". He spoke as they walked down the corridor.

"Yip!" she yelped in reply. "Icchi needs to work out a bit more but it beats being on the floor. Plus I can do this!"

'This' happened to be Yachiru lowering her head to look at Ichigo upside down in the face. Ichigo nearly lost his balance as she did so. Byakuya seemed to ever so slightly smirk.

"Amusing as it is to see your interactions with Kurosaki Ichigo." Byakuya spoke as he opened a large door in front of him. "You really should try to find some female company."

"Like Yoruichi?" She spoke from Ichigo's right shoulder. "Bumblebee says she is so cool!"

"Soifon-san is biased". Byakuya spoke as they entered a large room with numerous swords, metal and wood, scatted about. "But perhaps Yoruichi-dono could teach you how to apply yourself better."

"But now." Byakuya spoke as he turned to Ichigo. "It time for me to try and turn Kurosaki-san here into a Shinigami again. "Go take an Asauchi Kurosaki-san."

Byakuya looked rather arrogant as he said the name of the training sword. Clearly he didn't expect Ichigo to know what he was talking about. Yachiru jumped down and went to stand near one of the walls; she was wearing a happy eagerly awaiting kind of expression.

Ichigo walked over and picked up one of the practice blades.

"So Byakuya-sama, how should we do this?" He said as he took the small blade with two hands. Byakuya looked at him with a slightly annoyed expression.

"Come at me with everything you got Kurosaki-san" He spoke coldly as he drawn his blade. "There is no chance you can even make me bleed in your current state after all."

Ichigo grinned slightly as he brought up the blade; it was a familiar feeling to him. He then charged.

Byakuya blade came up to deflect Ichigo's so quick it seemed not to move between the two positions at all.

"Your blade is as slow as an infants." Byakuya spoke dismissively. "Surely you have more drive behind your blade that that Kurosaki-san? Does not my sister love for you in part come from her admiration of your spirit?"

With those words Ichigo struck rapidly again and again with the blade, each time Byakuya blocked as easily and invisibly as the first, until he brought himself and his blade behind Ichigo, inches from his neck.

"Do not let yourself become reckless in your determination." With those words he seemingly disappeared and reappeared in front of him, blade at rest.

"This is Shunpo isn't it?" Ichigo spoke as he caught his breath.

"I'm surprised you remember the term." Byakuya spoke with a nod.

"Oh I didn't remember, I was taught." Ichigo said proudly as he thought of Rukia. "Rukia decided that teaching me about Shinigami matters was a high priority Byakuya-sama."

"She surprises me then." He spoke calmly. "I though she would have stumbled to an emotional outpouring."

"Oh she's been pretty cool headed most of the time with me so far." Ichigo spoke with a mischievous emphasis on the word most. It was worth it to see Byakuya expression alone.

"Kurosaki-san!" Byakuya yelled as he charged Ichigo with his blade held up and slightly to the right, Ichigo blocked out reflex just in time to stop a nasty slash to his left arm.

However during the block the top of the blade was torn from the bottom, leaving only a small part of the blade still intact. It was a strangely familiar feeling to see the broken blade.

"_Remember my name Ichigo?"_ Said a familiar older male voice in Ichigo's ear. Ichigo smiled as he threw away the broken blade. Byakuya stared as the air in the room became increasingly unsettled. Yachiru smiled happily as she watched.

"Zangetsu!" Ichigo yelled with all his might, as he did a blue light filled his vision as the power from the depth of his soul started to manifest, first the white he had been wearing was replaced by black

"Go Icchi!" Yachiru yelled in glee as she jumped up and down.

Then in his hand a two handed sword that he was intimately familiar with formed from the blue light. It bared no hilt and his name was Zangetsu. Ichigo beamed at Byakuya who blinked in reaction to the smile.

"Think I'm an asset again yet Byakuya-sama?" Ichigo asked as he let his beaming smile turn to a grin.

Byakuya was about to reply when the door to the room was flung open.

"Strawberry!" Rukia yelled as she jumped onto Ichigo and kissed him deeply and passionately on the lips, Ichigo dropped Zangetsu to his right as he fell down with the crazed midget Shinigami onto of him.

"I'm so… proud of… you!" She shouted in between kisses. "You've recovered… so quickly and …you look so dam ho….."

Rukia turned to look at her brother and Yachiru, who waved as she did so.

She turned red rather quickly and deeply, rapidly jumping off Ichigo, brushing herself off and attempting to look dignified.

"Oh hello there Nii-sama." She said in the same cool calm tone she used when they met last night. "I didn't notice you there."

"Clearly. " He replied coolly. "I see you brought your boy to this house without telling me in advance."

"He was in a bad way and you were busy." She replied in the same calm tones, through Ichigo could detect the masked panic in her voice. "So I decided to take matters into my own hands as time was an issue."

"Hum." Byakuya said with a thoughtful face. "It good cleanup was easier and much quicker than expected, who knows what scandal you two could have cause without my guiding hand to keep you in check? I do expect you two will be acting with more dignity in public than just now."

"Of course Nii-sama!" Rukia replied rapidly. As two continued there talk Ichigo smiled softly to his self. While his past was still by and large a mystery to him, his present seem to be taking a firm shape.

He was in his new home and no longer lost.


End file.
